So, you thought CD in tray was bad??

[Guest TWVA395]

Wow. I think it's safe to say that about 99% of legit Steam customers haven't had a problem. FYI: If you actually played HL1 you would know that you have always needed Steam. This game doesn't need a cd, and to ignore something so amazing because of a 10 minute download (with broadband) blows my mind.http://darkstarorder.com/sigs/Batman/SigFinal.jpgKen Weik [link:maam.org|MAAM-SIM][link:library.avsim.net/search.php?CatID=root&SearchTerm=kenneth+weik&Sort=Added&ScanMode=0&Go=Change+View]My AFCADs

[oqvist 11]

>Wow. I think it's safe to say that about 99% of legit Steam>customers haven't had a problem. FYI: If you actually played>HL1 you would know that you have always needed Steam. This>game doesn't need a cd, and to ignore something so amazing>because of a 10 minute download (with broadband) blows my>mind.>http://darkstarorder.com/sigs/Batman/SigFinal.jpg>Ken Weik> [link:maam.org|MAAM-SIM]>[link:library.avsim.net/search.php?CatID=root&SearchTerm=kenneth+weik&Sort=Added&ScanMode=0&Go=Change+View]My>AFCADsI am sorry but I don

[Pete S 7]

Well I just bought parts for my new computer at Newegg, and they sent me an email with a link and a code for a free version of HL2. I am not into those kind of games but just might give it a try to see what it's all about, heck it's free!

[oqvist 11]

Yep please do you may like it and become a true hardcore gamer :)

[Guest]

The next wave will see you needing to supply a creditcard number to the software manufacturer and pay a subscription fee.At that point you can use your account at their servers which does vital parts of the software function for you and without which nothing moves (if I read the Steam function correctly it only does some checks on startup, after which it's no longer needed. I'm talking about things like the complete AI running remote and being paid for per use).That way if you hand out your license to someone else you're paying for their use too. The software company looses only a little money (the sale of the CD/DVD with the software, most of the cost of which goes towards taxes and the retailer anyway) while the pirate gets to foot the bill for everyone who uses his pirated copies (or his customers get to purchase their own accounts and pay the company directly as well as making it clear there's a pirated copy around which can then be easily traced and legal action taken).Subscription based software is the future. It already works with MMORPGs quite well, there's not much piracy in that field for the simple reason that without payment to the manufacturer (and a constant connection to their servers which requires your serial number) you can't use the product at all.

[Guest Dasher7]

Hi there!Thanks for all the replys. My main point was not whether Steam works or not, many of you seem to miss the point that not everyone on this planet are able to/want to have their computer hooked up to the internet. Either because of virus risk (a very good reason) OR because not everyone lives in a place where you can just expect net to be affordable to everyone, if at all available!Without going completely Chomsky on you all, the technological developments of recent years are not only democratic. Some people (those in the money) have access to sooo much information that so many others don't. Who cares, in the end, about a game. But what if, say, some office programs have to run online in the future? Does that mean that a person living without net cannot run the office-program? This is where things would get really scewed and lawmaking would be required, in my opinion, to control the arrogance of certain companies.-Halfdan

[Guest metamarty]

I believe in Steam as an online distribution system that can be used to buy games online. I would like to buy software online in the future, but unfortunately these systems open up too much possiblities for corporate abuse. I tried buying HL2 online, but Steam didn't accept my CC after I downloaded all of the data. After buying the game in the store, I had lots of problems getting it to work through Steam.HL2 is a fantastic game but I won't be buying things in the future if this online checking stuff continues. I see this the same as I see DRM, no consumer advantages, only restrictions. Looking at the prices that are charged for HL2 through steam, versus regular retail prices, I see absolutaly no price advantage of ordering online. The decreased piracy rate of HL2 apparently only benefits Valve since HL2 is one of the most expensive games to date. Therefore I have no reason to believe "the consumer benefits from lower prices due to decreased piracy" logic.Corporations will remain corporations, taking as much money they can get for their goods until sales start to go down. The only thing consumers can do is vote with their money, which is why I won't buy into DRM and other over protected stuff. And yes, I do like Noam Chomsky.

[Guest Derek D]

I myself have become very disillusioned with Valve. The moment my opinion of them started to go downhill can be pinpointed back to when they forced everyone playing their games online to use Steam. It wouldn't have been so bad if Steam actually worked properly when they made the transition, but the stupid thing gave me problems for months afterwards.This marked a recurring trend for Valve, releasing things before they are ready. I bought Condition Zero (for a not-so-modest $40) with the promise of having better visuals and more weapons when playing online, but imagine my surprise when I played for the first time and the game looked almost identical to the game I already owned, Counter-Strike! The only difference at launch was slightly improved map textures. Granted they have added a couple things since then through updates but when I buy a product I expect it to offer everything it advertizes from the start.And to add insult to injury, not even a couple months after I buy Condition Zero Valve announces their next CS game, Counter-Strike: Source which they tout as being better than the game I just bought. And as if all that weren't enough, their software is probably the hardest to install on the planet, like you mentioned. So yeah, you aren't alone in your disdain. It's regrettable that I happen to like Counter-Strike so much, otherwise I wouldn't subject myself to this online beauracracy.Derek D.

[oqvist 11]

>Hi there!>>Thanks for all the replys. >My main point was not whether Steam works or not, many of you>seem to miss the point that not everyone on this planet are>able to/want to have their computer hooked up to the internet.>Either because of virus risk (a very good reason) OR because>not everyone lives in a place where you can just expect net to>be affordable to everyone, if at all available!>>Without going completely Chomsky on you all, the technological>developments of recent years are not only democratic. Some>people (those in the money) have access to sooo much>information that so many others don't. Who cares, in the end,>about a game. But what if, say, some office programs have to>run online in the future? Does that mean that a person living>without net cannot run the office-program? This is where>things would get really scewed and lawmaking would be>required, in my opinion, to control the arrogance of certain>companies.>>-Halfdan There is no difference in games and office applications. In fact office applications is the first that will have this feature because they don

[Guest TWVA395]

>I am sorry but I don

[Guest]

I doubt the income will be much less.And development cost will be lower to compensate.Anti piracy measures are no longer needed for the reasons I outlined.Updating the software no longer requires notifying users, no more distributing upgrade CDs and downloadable installers. Next time the user logs in he's automatically upgraded.Support cost goes down as you no longer need to keep track of which problems were solved in which build. Every user is using either the latest build or the direct previous one which means you only have to check against those two.Many people WILL pay to play. Games like WOW and Everquest have tens of thousands of paying customers, and that in a market which is oversaturated with literally hundreds of games competing for marketshare. The total userbase seems to be larger than that for FS, and don't forget FS is the only game in town.Even if the userbase were to drop by half because of no more pirated copies and drop another 10% because people can't or won't pay a $10 (say) monthly fee on top of a $25 charge for the CD Microsoft will still come out ahead. If they even charge $5 they'll come out ahead and the vast majority of online games cost a lot more (FF XI will set you back $50+ for the game itself and another $15+ a month to play for example).

[oqvist 11]

But you seem to forget that the MMORPG:s you are talking about is played ONLY on-line. Not so with most other games though many is on-line oriented most is still for off-line mostly.If the developers thinks they earn money from it I as customer don